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So don't feel obligated or anything...
But I have a DonorsChoose project at the moment and if you are feeling charitable and have some spare cash my students and I would love to have a video camera to use for projects in class. If you have kids or are around kids you might notice how they go from bored and uninterested to suddenly smiling and hamming it up as soon as a camera comes out ( Read more... ) -
Gettin' paid
Soooooo it turns out that my school district will let me count my time in Japan towards my years of experience. Why is this important? MONEY! Because we get paid based on how many years experience we have. If I can get this form filled out and verified I could get a $3,000 bump in pay for next year. Two other former Tahara ALTs who work in my ( Read more... ) -
Summer!!!
Officially I had to work this past week and I did...sort of ( Read more... ) -
Buenas cosas
I PASSED KTIP!
I have a job next year.
And I might have a room next year rather than Sra. Speedy (my faithful cart - and yes it does have eyes, a mouth, and a speech bubble that says "Hola, me llamo Sra. Speedy" and yes my kindergarteners say hola to her in the hallway sometimes before they say hi to me.) -
Almost done
Turned in my portfolio for KTIP this week. Still have to have my final meeting with my committee but I've been assured I have nothing to worry about. Once they green light me I'll just be one $40 check to the state away from being a fully certified teacher ( Read more... ) -
Oh how things change
I've been going through my journal entries from when I was in Japan and it's interesting to read my first impressions of everything. My favorite is this little gem that I have absolutely no memory of...
So updated plan is stay here two more years, then apply and get on Peace Boat for a 4 month trip around the world. Then come home, apply for the ( Read more... ) -
Snow Day!!!
My first snow day! And there isn't even any snow yet. But it's supposed to get icy and gross around noon so they went ahead and cancelled school rather than trying an early dismissal. The last time I got off work for weather was a typhoon day in Tahara ( Read more... ) -
KTIP
AKA the Kentucky Teaching Internship Program. AKA hell on earth for first year teachers ( Read more... ) -
Stategery
So my strategy didn't pan out this past week. Day 1 was still pretty awful. Although I didn't have the 4th graders because we had a steel band come for an assembly. The 3rd graders were absolutely horrible and I was left with the kindergarteners without an aide. I don't understand how that happens but it really pisses me off. There are only 2 of ( Read more... ) -
I had an epiphany this week
But first some background information. I'm on a 6 day schedule at school. I see my students every 6th day for 55 minutes. This is not enough time to learn much by the way but while it's great that they have foreign language at my elementary school it still isn't valued as highly as it ought to be. I'm working on that, but as the 3rd Spanish teacher ( Read more... )